Violin construction



April 17, 1956 R. K. AUVILLE ETAL VIOLIN CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 14, 1952 It (son WQZZan April 17, 1956 R. K. AUVILLE l-TI'AL2,

VIOLIN CONSTRUCTION Filed April 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nii I 7 8144.)to fia ymondKflzzvif le Ti son Wibl'z'an United States Patent *6) VIOLINCONSTRUCTION Raymond K. Auville, Kerens, and Tison Walton,Elkins,.W..Va..

Application April 14, 1952, Serial No. 282,202.

3 Claims. (Cl. 84-474) This invention relates to violin construction,the primary object of the invention being to provide a violin whereinthe number of strings is increased appreciably over the conventionalfour string violin construction.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a violin or similarstringed instrument, which is so constructed that the volume of theinstrument will be substantially increased, without sacrificingmellowness of tone.

An important object of the invention is to provide a violin havinggroups of strings arranged directly under the playing strings of theviolin, which groups of strings are tuned in sympathy with theconventional strings of the violin to produce chords incident to thesympathetic vibrations of the groups of auxiliary strings of theinstrument, when the usual four strings of the violin are played.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a violin having ahollow neck that is of a length to extend throughout the length of theviolin body, within the body, providing a sound box within the body ofthe violin, increasing the tone volume of the instrument, and at thesame time appreciably increasing the strength of the violin structure towithstand the increased strain directed thereto, due to the tension ofthe increased number of strings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a violin whereinthe strings are arranged to facilitate the playing of the violin in theupper positions, with an increased volume.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a violin, constructed in accordance with theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view on an enlarged scale,illustrating the hollow neck constituting an auxiliary sound box.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 indicatesthe body portion of the violin, which is generally of the sameconstruction as violins now in common use, with additional meansincluding the post 6 which has its upper and lower ends so arranged withrespect to the upper and lower walls of the body, that the body portionof the violin will be braced at a point in proximity to the bridge ofthe violin, which is indicated by the reference character 7.

Disposed longitudinally of the upper wall of the body, and arranged onthe side of the body opposite to the post 6, is the G-bar or brace 8which tends to brace the upper wall of the body portion, but at the sametime permits of the necessary virbations to produce a true tone.

Patented Apr. 17, 1956 Ice Forming an important feature of the violin,is the neck, whichis shown more clearly by- Fig. 3 of the drawings, theneck being indicated by the reference character 9. As shown, the neck 9is hollow throughout its length, and is providedwith the extension 10which extends within the body portion of the violin, throughout thelength of the violin, the upper and lower walls of the extension 10being spaced from the upper and lower walls respectively of the bodyportion of the violin to permit of the necessary vibrations of the wallsof the extension 10. The top of the extension 10 is formed with openings11, which openings are disposed adjacent to the ends of the extension,so that sound waves produced by the vibrating strings of the violin maypass into an opening, through the auxiliary sound box formed by theextension 10, and exhaust through the opening at the opposite end of theextension or sound box.

The apron of the violin is indicated by the reference character 12 andalfords means for securing the violin strings to the end of the bodyportion, as clearly shown by the drawings. The four playing strings ofthe violin are indicated by the reference character 13, and thesestrings extend over the bridge 7, and pass to the keys 14, which keysare operated in the usual and well known manner in tuning theinstrument.

The reference character 15 indicates the auxiliary strings of theviolin, the auxiliary strings of the violin passing through the openings16 formed in the bridge 7, supporting the strings in spaced relationwith the upper wall of the violin.

These auxiliary strings 15 are connected with the keys 17 that aresupported by the head in such a way that the keys 17 may be operated totune the auxiliary strings of the instrument, which are arranged inthree groups of four and tuned to provide identical chords.

When playing the violin, the playing strings are manipulated in the samemanner as the usual violin, and since the auxiliary strings are arrangedin groups of four and are tuned to provide identical chords, it will beobvious that when the ordinary playing strings of the violin are beingplayed, the sympathetic vibrations of the auxiliary chords, caused bythe vibrations produced by the playing strings, will set up tones toappreciably increase the volume of the violin.

Due to the construction of the neck of the violin, which includes theextension 10, an auxiliary sound box is provided within the bodyportion, to pick up the tones created by the vibrations of the auxiliarystrings, thereby reducing the usual harsh tones produced by wirestrings, to mellow tones.

It might be further stated that because of the G-bar or brace 8,together with the post 6, the top and bottom walls of the body of theviolin are securely braced against the severe pressure directed thereto,by the great number of strings forming a part of the violin.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a violin, a body, a hollow neck having a head formed at one endthereof, secured to the body, said neck including a hollow extensionextending within the body throughout the length of the body, saidextension having openings in the top thereof adjacent to the ends of theextension, providing a sound box within the body, and strings supportedon the body secured to the body and head of said neck.

2. In a violin, a body, a hollow neck having ahead, secured to the body,said neck including a hollow extension extending within the bodythroughout the length of the body, said extension embodying top andbottom and side walls spaced from the walls of the body, said extensionhaving openings in the top wall thereof adjacent to the ends of theextension, providing a sound box within the body, and strings supportedon the body secured to the body and head of the instrument.

3. In a violin, a body, a hollow neck having a head at the outer endthereof, secured to the body, said neck including a hollow extensionextending within the body throughout the length of the body, saidextension having openings in the top thereof providing an'internal soundbox within the body, a G-bar secured to the inner surface of the top ofthe body and extending longitudinally of the body, a vertical postdisposed between the top and bottom of. the body, and wires secured tothe body and head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MillerJan. 20, 1885 Loppentien July 26, 1904 Martin May 17, 1910 Brann Nov.27, 1923 Olsen Apr. 8, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June 18, 1921Germany Sept. 21, 1921 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1922 Germany Nov. 18, 1926

